Sick 4 mo pullet! Need help!

[CrzyChickiJules]

Hi all! I need help figuring out what's going on! This evening I have a 4 month old pullet that is lethargic, and when I pick her up liquid comes out of her beak. Her crop is not full, neither is her belly for that matter. She doesn't seem to have diarrhea, but she just started these symptoms. This is my third young chicken showing these symptoms, and the other two progressed to complete immobility, very smelly poop, and death. It's been smoking hot here the past couple days (around 30 degrees C/86 Fahrenheit) and they don't have an outside run yet. The doors and windows are all open, however. I've given them super booster, but it doesn't seem to help! What can this be?!?

 

[chicks are life]

Was the puke smelly,clear or thick/thin

What do you feed

How big is your coop for how many birds do you have?

Just curious why don't you have a run?

Have any had impacted crop lately?

If its clear and no smell sometimes chickens just throw up water if you hang them upside down after they just drank
which you shouldn't damedges organs and makes them puke which can if the fluid went down wrongs tube could get to its lungs and kill it

 

[CrzyChickiJules]

Was the puke smelly,clear or thick/thin

What do you feed

How big is your coop for how many birds do you have?

Just curious why don't you have a run?

Have any had impacted crop lately?

If its clear and no smell sometimes chickens just throw up water if you hang them upside down after they just drank
which you shouldn't damedges organs and makes them puke which can if the fluid went down wrongs tube could get to its lungs and kill it

The mucus was like water, and was mostly clear but not smelly that I could tell.

I feed crushed barley with a layer concentrate, and some rolled corn for a treat. It's what I have on hand until harvest.

The coop is 11.4 ft by 7.8 ft and it houses 25 birds at the moment. And I don't have a run because we just finished insulating the coop when seeding hit this spring, and the summer has been too busy to go back and properly build it. With the predators we have here, I have to make sure it's Fort Knox! It was in the plans for after harvest this fall, or next spring depending on time, finances, etc.

Luckily, I haven't had impacted crop lately. And I've been checking these guys 2-3 times a day. Before we had a screen door built, I would go and open the door to let more air into the coop. Like I said, it's been unusually hot here.

If I can help it, I usually try not to hang them upside down. I caught her easily because she is so lethargic, and I had leaned her over to check for mites, as I had read that that may cause some of what she's doing. (No mites found.) But that is a good point, and I'll remember it for the future!! It's just weird because I've never had it happen before!

 

[chicks are life]

She may have sour crop.

 

[chicks are life]

Will wait for others to reply

 

[CrzyChickiJules]

Ok, thank you! In the meantime, I'll treat her for sour crop and see if that improves things.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

4 month old pullet that is lethargic, and when I pick her up liquid comes out of her beak...It's been smoking hot here the past couple days...they don't have an outside run yet....This is my third young chicken showing these symptoms, and the other two progressed to complete immobility, very smelly poop, and death....crushed barley with a layer concentrate, and some rolled corn for a treat...coop is 11.4 ft by 7.8 ft and it houses 25 birds at the moment

Hi @CrzyChickiJules I'm sorry you're having trouble.

Do you provide a source of poultry grit for your birds? Since they are confined to coop only, it would be best to offer grit (crushed granite) free choice. This will help to process the foods that you are feeding.

For 25 birds, do you have multiple food/water stations?

I'm not berating you at all, but with the amount of birds you have in just the coop space, they are probably overheating and possibly not getting enough water/food. The space you give is around 3.5 sq.ft. per bird - this is usually o.k. if birds have access to adequate outdoor space as well. I do understand fencing and making a secure run turns into $$$. If there is any way you can get your birds outside, they will benefit from sunshine, dust bathing and be healthier/happier.

For your sick girl, it does sound like she may have a crop issue. Treatment options for crop issues are in the link below.

It's also possible that the too close for comfort quarters is stressful on the birds. Diseases like Marek's can present with birds going off feed, lethargy, immobility and death. Stress can make symptoms worse.
If you happen to lose her, then consider having a necropsy performed to make sure that you aren't dealing with an illness. Crop issues can be corrected and/or prevented, but disease will need to be dealt with in another manner.

Keep us posted.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

 

[CrzyChickiJules]

Hi @CrzyChickiJules I'm sorry you're having trouble.

Do you provide a source of poultry grit for your birds? Since they are confined to coop only, it would be best to offer grit (crushed granite) free choice. This will help to process the foods that you are feeding.

For 25 birds, do you have multiple food/water stations?

I'm not berating you at all, but with the amount of birds you have in just the coop space, they are probably overheating and possibly not getting enough water/food. The space you give is around 3.5 sq.ft. per bird - this is usually o.k. if birds have access to adequate outdoor space as well. I do understand fencing and making a secure run turns into $$$. If there is any way you can get your birds outside, they will benefit from sunshine, dust bathing and be healthier/happier.

For your sick girl, it does sound like she may have a crop issue. Treatment options for crop issues are in the link below.

It's also possible that the too close for comfort quarters is stressful on the birds. Diseases like Marek's can present with birds going off feed, lethargy, immobility and death. Stress can make symptoms worse.
If you happen to lose her, then consider having a necropsy performed to make sure that you aren't dealing with an illness. Crop issues can be corrected and/or prevented, but disease will need to be dealt with in another manner.

Keep us posted.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

That has been a problem as I've been trying to source grit here, and it's been surprisingly hard to find. The feedstores all informed me that chickens only need oyster shell free choice, and that that would be enough. It's currently ordered, and should arrive in a couple weeks, but in the meantime I've been shovelling dirt and heavier sand into a corner for them to go through. It's not enough, I know. I think I'll just have to bite the bullet and get something up for them to get outside a bit. It won't be huge, but it'll be something...

I don't feel berated, don't worry! I need to solve this before I lose more chickens, and these are valid suggestions! I don't have multiple stations, actually. I always assumed the one food and one water was adequate. I'll see about setting up a second set, but I'll try to set up a temp run first, as then I really won't have enough room for everybody!

I've started with going after crop issues, new problem is that I don't think she's even eating. I went to check to see what her crop felt like last night and it was totally empty. My other hens were quite full, which is the normal, I think? I'll still treat her according to the guidelines in the article (thank you!) and hope that it makes a difference.

Really, really hoping it's not marek's!

I'll keep you guys up to date! Thank you for the help!!

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

You can check here symptoms here: http://www.poultrydvm.com/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That has been a problem as I've been trying to source grit here, and it's been surprisingly hard to find. The feedstores all informed me that chickens only need oyster shell free choice, and that that would be enough. It's currently ordered, and should arrive in a couple weeks, but in the meantime I've been shovelling dirt and heavier sand into a corner for them to go through. It's not enough, I know. I think I'll just have to bite the bullet and get something up for them to get outside a bit. It won't be huge, but it'll be something...

I don't feel berated, don't worry! I need to solve this before I lose more chickens, and these are valid suggestions! I don't have multiple stations, actually. I always assumed the one food and one water was adequate. I'll see about setting up a second set, but I'll try to set up a temp run first, as then I really won't have enough room for everybody!

I've started with going after crop issues, new problem is that I don't think she's even eating. I went to check to see what her crop felt like last night and it was totally empty. My other hens were quite full, which is the normal, I think? I'll still treat her according to the guidelines in the article (thank you!) and hope that it makes a difference.

Really, really hoping it's not marek's!

I'll keep you guys up to date! Thank you for the help!!

Add another water station if you can, even before you try to get the run set-up. I know you're trying to get all this resolved - I'm sure it's stressful. Water is very important.

You are correct, your hens should have a full crop at bedtime. Do you have a crate or dog kennel that you can separate your sick girl into? This is helpful - you can monitor her more closely and she can have her own food/water to see if she makes a turn around. Since the crop is empty - she may be suffering from not getting food/water and possibly overheating. When you picked her up - if she did have water in the crop - it can sometimes come out if the crop was mashed - she may also be just drinking and not getting to the food - hard to know.

Please do keep us posted - I hope she gets better soon.